Breathe and Carry On
by Neth
Summary: Starts out with the thoughts of Kevin Flynn through the movie but eventually events take a different path. And with that path an entire new story starts to open up before them. And not only through his eyes. Won't say more in case I spoil movie.
1. Part One

******Title: **Breathe And Carry On  
******Author:** Neth Dugan  
******Rating: **PG  
******Disclaimer: **I don't own Tron. Disney do. Though given a certain scene you have to wonder about that too. Seriously, not mine.  
******Category: **AU, gen  
******Spoilers: **Tron: Legacy. There's also reference to the ending of the original Tron (1982)

******Summary: **The thoughts of Kevin Flynn through his part of the story, and towards another ending that could have been. Don't want to say much in case I spoil anybody who hasn't seen the movie yet.

**Note:** Putting this on here, I'm reminded why I hate posting stuff on this site. Cause it wont let you format things how you would like. If you want to see how this was meant to be seen, it is found here: archiveofourown dot org/works/142735

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**Prologue**

For years Kevin had sat, had waited and dreamt in patience trying to gain a sort of Zen air about himself and knowing he had little choice on the matter. He did what he could for Quorra and lived in hope that the time would come when enough programs would rise up and fix his greatest error, his dark legacy on this world. He worried, he tried not to but with the cycles upon cycles that went past it was hard not to. What had happened to Tron? Murdered, derezzed, seemed more likely than not. The program had been just as much his friend as Alan had, meant just as much to him as family to him and the memories of that day never lost their bitter tang. Look at him, poetical as well as patient.

Out there, back in the outside world his son still lived and Kevin knew, in his gut, that the chances of ever seeing him were less than the chances of seeing Tron. He could only hope that Sam had a good life and took care of his company, took care of himself. Odds are, he was safer there anyway.

So he sat, and he waited in liquid energy falling upwards and staring at the outlands of the grid before him. And hoped.

And one day, a familiar light appeared in the sky.

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**Chapter One**

_His son... his son was here, in this world and just as headstrong as he had been at that age. Still was, if he was honest with himself. Man, as confused as he'd been when he'd first arrived cycles and years ago he'd been determined as hell to do what he wanted. Apple didn't fall too far from the tree it'd seem._

_Sam would need help, as he had, even if Tron was derezzed. Well, he still had his old man._

_It was time._

* * *

_His disc, gone. His... Shit. Sometimes, remaining Zen was a bitch. But there was no time, for all his powers there was _no time._ Dammit, last time he'd gone through crap like this Tron had been by his side... Man, why hadn't he created a disc cover to stop that from happening?  
__  
He had his son back though, and despite everything that made him more happy than he could express whilst remaining functioning._

_Even if not everyone was here, or whole. Even if he was angry too._

* * *

___Tron was **alive**._

* * *

_____He should be celebrating, wanted to, but couldn't. The program didn't seem himself and he had Quorra. A part of him hoped he was only pretending, that his old friend would help his apprentice but he knew better._

_____He knew himself, so he knew Clu. No way was Tron actually Tron anymore, and it was like death all over again._

_____He could mourn later, right now... right now was another fight to 'save' the world. Work to do. Chaos to spread._

* * *

_____Tron was chasing him. Hunting him like a virus, hunting his son and Quorra._

_____Every part of Kevin screamed that this was wrong. But for once there wasn't any time for wishing, for meditation, he had to move._

_____He had to fight the best warrior either Grid had ever seen.  
_

_____Fly, damn you._

* * *

_____YES!_

_____Dammit, yes._

_____Shit, man, something had happened. Tron had woken up, it looked like, but now it was... how many times did he have to loose his friend?_

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**Chapter Two**

Getting out of the light jet was like a breath of fresh air, a moment of peace. Didn't last long though, why would it with the way things were going lately? From above them came the sound of another light jet, a smaller one, and then a familiar figure fell down and into a crouch. The program paused. Then lifted his head.

"Is that Rinzler?" Sam asked from behind, confused. Though who could blame him, considering.

"No," and Kevin couldn't help but smile. Because there, in front of him and in blue, was Tron. "It's Tron. He's back."

A face that hadn't been seen in countless cycles smiled back at him, his easy 'look what I did that you couldn't do' smile but tinged with something else. Worry, apprehension. But man, it was good to see that guy again.

"But I though, what's going on...?"

"It is what Flynn, what your father calls a 'long story'." Tron replied in that gruff voice of his. "But that is not important now. Clu survived, I tried to stop him but we both had back up light jets. Probability is he is waiting for you, up there."

"I know. Seemed likely. Can't get around it though."

"No. I can help, I know last time I couldn't but... if we could work together. If you could stall, distract whilst..."

"Like the MCP."

"Yes."

"Man, I missed you," Kevin replied even as Tron was reaching for his disk. Quorra and his son tensed behind him but he only smiled and reached for it. A little extra programming, turbo charge the thing. Make it work.

Even his dreams hadn't dared let him hope for this.

"Okay, here's the plan. Quorra, Sam, you both stay behind me and we'll deal with this."

"But dad, you need all the help you can get."

"I need you to stay safe, both of you. We've done this before, and know the dance."

With nods from his son and his apprentice, and a shared look with the security program, the group started the slow walk up the steps to meet his creation. Fear was there but it was in the back and Kevin couldn't help but think that maybe the Zen thing did help sometimes because above that was a sense of purpose and sureness, stability.

He could only hope that his gut was right, and that together they'd pull this off.


	2. Part Two

**Chapter Three**

In front of him, Kevin could see Clu standing full of confidence as though he was sure of victory. Sure in a way only programs could be. A moment of time seemed to slow down as Clu stared past him and saw Tron, tensed, and started to make a run for it.

Not a surprise.

Dropping to his knees in a kind of fluidity he was sure his body wouldn't be capable of in the outside world, bringing up coding in his mind, intent and sheer force of will streaming out of his fingers and forced his mirror to remain in place. Unable to move his feet, to so much as creep forward so that all the program could do was glare.

"I did everything! Everything you ever asked."

"I know you did."

"I executed the plan."

"As you saw it."

"You, you promised that we would change the world. Together. You broke your promise."

"I know. I understand that now."

"I took this system to its maximum potential. I created the perfect system!"

"The thing about perfection, is that it's unknowable. It's impossible, but it's also right in front of us, all the time. You wouldn't know that because I didn't, when I created you. I'm sorry."

Despite wanting to believe in Clu, despite wanting to hold out his arms and forgive everything and for it could all be okay again Kevin knew he couldn't. Maybe he would have, in a last bid of hope if Tron weren't here and there was nothing to do but distract the program from Quorra and Sam. But this was reality, he still had his own disk on his back and he couldn't afford it.

"I'm so sorry Clu, it's my fault and I know that now but this needs to be done. Goodbye."

With a nod to the program by his side, more a tilt of his head as he refused to take his eyes from his digital clone, he felt Tron move forward and into his field of vision. Then saw him pause, Kevin didn't know what his eyes were doing but he would bet you a hundred bucks they were saying something. And then...

And then Tron lifted up his disk, _his_ disc and not the stolen one, and slammed it against Clu's neck. If either of them were made of flesh and blood you might even call it a merciful strike.

Clu, he would swear for years to come, looked surprised even as he derezzed and fell apart.

Shit, man, he felt about ready to do the same. All those cycles of nothing didn't exactly prepare you for this. This wasn't done though, because what were they all supposed to do now? 

**Chapter Four**

"This belongs to you," was the first thing Quorra said to him as she stepped into his view, identity disk held out in front of her. Always loyal.

"So, what happens next?" Sam asked, still behind him and sounding a bit lost.

"Now, now you go back home Sam. That portal will close soon and if it does so do our choices. Go home. You can come back right off if you want, but you need to go home."

"Dad, what about you? You can come back now and..."

"Maybe I will. But I'm needed here still. Can't afford the time difference. Before you go – how's Alan?"

"Alan? He's okay. Been left out by the Encom big wigs. Pushed aside but still kept around for appearances. Probably 'cause he's still pretty loyal to you. Puts a face on to the public but he misses you. It's been a bit strange since you left. I think you'd like some of the chaos that's been caused." Sam laughed, a touch bitterly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but I'll tell you when I get back."

He smiled, nodded his head and made a sort of shoving motion towards the beam of light. Not long at all now.

"Hey, kiddo!"

"Yes dad?"

"Tell Alan I said 'hi', and he can come visit any time he wants."

His son's confused look was the last thing Kevin saw before he disappeared upwards and into the outside world. 

**Chapter Five**

The first thought through his head was that breathing had never felt so odd before, he'd never felt as much before. That was new. The second thought was that he should go right back in, even as he sat time was speeding past faster inside the Grid and there wasn't a moment to spare. His third was the last words that he'd heard whilst in the energy stream, and what on earth dad had meant by them. He couldn't seriously have been asking him to get Alan into the Grid too. Could he?

_Another moment, hours passing._

They'd been friends. Alan was his grandfather. Tron looked a hell of a lot like a younger Alan too and had been created by him. He... he probably meant that. Right. That meant contacting the older man as fast as possible and as easily as possible and getting him here yesterday. Which meant figuring out how you send a message to a pager. Had to be an ap for that.

_Time differences, speeding by.  
_

Only a few minutes passed though it felt like hours, it _was_ hours, before Alan walked into the arcade and Sam wouldn't let himself think on how it should have taken him longer if he'd been any place but near by.

"Alan."

And Sam hadn't expected that flash if disappointment across the eyes, should have though. What else was new?

"You paged me?"

"Yeah. I found him."

"You found your father. Here?"

"Sort of," Sam smiled enjoying this. "He says 'hi' and asks if you want to come visit."

"Of course! What do you mean by 'sort of' though."

"Come see, follow me."

Walking away and towards the hidden door, assuming that Alan would follow, Sam lead them down the stairs and into the dusty office that probably no one knew about.

_Hurry, hurry. He'd been gone for so long now. Run._

"I need you to stand there, and this is going to seem strange but trust me. Stand there, and don't move."

Yeah, he'd confused the man for sure. Could see that look on his face that held both bewilderment and wonder as if trying to sort out something that made no sense to him. He'd seen it on his face a hundred times or more. Still, it was only a matter of typing in a few codes, reaching to hold onto Alan's arm tightly and pressing enter.

And then there was light.

And then it all changed.

When he opened his eyes the world was different, cleaner, with Quorra standing in front them wearing a smile on her face and excitement in her eyes. It was good to see her again. A glance beside him let Sam know that Alan was, well, freaking out a little bit but still had that look of wonder on his face. Nobody said a word as they left the building, with Sam still grasping the other user's arm to be on the safe side, nor as they got into the light runner and raced off into the grid.

None of them could keep a smile off their face.


End file.
